Archipel | This is (not) the end
We are a two-people team running Archipel, a YouTube channel where we create documentary content centered around Japanese artists and creatives, in addition to capturing some pieces of Japanese culture. This Medium gathers selected moments from many stories and encounters, as we plan to share more insights about our work, the path that led to where we are today and to the direction we decide to take for the future, in addition to our overall feeling in the process.
Last June, we brought our regular series “toco toco” to an end, a decision that probably felt sudden. There are multiple reasons that led to this that we could extensively develop on. Simply put, as a series that spanned over several years, there are some issues we encountered with toco toco along the way. Its base concept was simple, Japanese creators introducing places that inspire them; however we did realize that this concept was not fit for all creators out there. Some constraints involved locations (people willing to remain private, or having trouble finding places), while others involved shooting times or scheduling. In the end, we did everything in our power to improve the series, but toco toco had lived its time and we felt it was time for us to shift towards something new.
However, the objective of this entry is not to discuss our content. Instead, we want to announce another wind of change. Anne, who has been part of Archipel since its very beginnings, will be leaving the team today to evolve on her own.
Her decision was nurtured over time, she remains a friend first, we wish her the best in all of her future projects. From our end, there is a lot that comes into account with one member less, but first things first: Archipel lives on. Meanwhile, Anne decided to leave a word to the community, before our three-people team officially becomes a pair.
Sailing out of Archipel
Eight years ago, I came to Japan with a small camcorder in hand and the idea of creating content around Japanese culture and its people. I used to work for a French cable TV channel back then, it was a series of multiple events that brought video into my life.
I started to direct toco toco by myself during its early, pre-YouTube days, when it still only aired on TV, still trying to figure out my way through the process. The series wasn’t even solely focusing on creators back then, although some episodes led to life-changing encounters.
As I look back at that time, a vivid memory comes to mind. During a summer morning, I went to a nearby Mosburger with indie game creator Yoshiro Kimura, the conversation that we shared led me to start a three-year dive inside Japan’s indie scene. More than a dozen of events and 80 interviews later, my feature-length documentary “Branching Paths” was released in July 2016. Several experiences during that project (some good, some really, really bad) had already led me to start asking myself some questions about my involvement in video.
Yet here I was, along the way two people offered their help into pursuing toco toco and progressively taking it to the next step. Many things took a turn at this point, in what would eventually become the Archipel team. Toco toco’s small concept was becoming something more. It was the three of us, and we were making documentaries. With the first days of the series behind me, I embarked on the journey towards Archipel. Now we have often been asked about each person’s role in the team, and while some time passed since I stepped down from directing, I feel like I had the chance to participate in a true collective effort.
The evolution to Archipel led to more places, from the freezing winds of Sado Island to the blazing heat of Iki’s summer. Exchanging with more creators. Mangaka. Animators. Illustrators. Game Creators. Musicians. Artists. People of so many backgrounds, with so many stories. The list grew longer and longer.
Imagine a ride where each stop leads you to a new universe, you’re not really aware of everything happening around you, but you get drawn by it, before the next one comes.
My last day today reminds me of a day we have spent two years ago with game creator Yoko Taro. It was his last day too, at PlatinumGames, closing on the development of NieR: Automata. Without yet knowing of the success the game would reach, I remember our visit to the apartment the company had rent for him, empty of furniture except for a game collection, without forgetting about a certain poster in his bathroom… Comes night, following him wearing his mask in the crowded alleys of Osaka, joining his producer who came from Tokyo just for the occasion. It had a part of surrealism.
Without diverging too much, I multiplied the encounters and experiences, as a team we were multiplying our efforts in order to make more content. Nevertheless, there was still that feeling, that I was brought to this point by a mere fortunate chance of events. I kept making video, and while I enjoyed each step along the way it was still that field I hadn’t really felt a vocation for.
What if I needed some distance? Take a step away from video and look at the bigger picture? By that point, the decision was probably already made. Yesterday, I finished my last project with Archipel, following for the last time a game creator: Koji Igarashi.
This one actually feels somewhat special as “IGA” was one of the first people I interviewed for Branching Paths, shortly after he left Konami back in 2014, before following his journey through his Kickstarter campaigns and the ups and downs of the game’s development. Upon seeing Bloodstained’s June release date, it felt like a natural step to make this last video with him, bringing some form of closure.
I would like to thank to everyone for their support over the years and my two amazing teammates. It’s now time for me to sail out of the Archipel’s islands, but the lighthouse still stands tall.
